Romeo To Her Juliet
by knwho
Summary: Point Place High's annual Spring production is Romeo and Juliet, who better to play the leads, than Eric and... Jackie? ONE-SHOT, COMPLETE, T.


**Romeo To Her Juliet**

**Synopsis: Point Place High's annual Spring production is Romeo and Juliet, who better to play the leads, than Eric and... Jackie?!**

**A/N:** Established JE (secret) relationship. This pre-dates the pilot, by a couple of days and goes beyond it by a day (May 27, 1976 is a Thursday [I checked], the story ends on Friday). So, because of the weird timeline, you can assume this is AU if you want but it's more parallel universe/time (Maybe I'm over explaining?). Obviously _That 70's Show_ is not mine, neither is _Romeo and Juliet_. Oh, and I know the this plot line is cliche and has been done to death by TV, books and movies, but give it a chance. Anyway, read, enjoy and review.

* * *

_Date: April 14, 1976_

_Location: Point Place High_

Eric sat in Drama class, bored out of his freakin' mind. Drama was for idiots both in real-life and on-stage, that was his motto and nothing was going to change that. When Mr. Wilkinson turned around, Eric threw a paper ball at Jackie three seats over, it hit her square in the side of the head, while he quickly feigned innocence by looking like he was taking notes.

"Hey!" Jackie exclaimed as the paper ball hit her, looking around for a suspect.

"Something wrong, Ms. Burkhart?"

Seeing that everyone was taking notes, she blushed and shook her head.

"Good. Now as all of you know," Mr. Wilkinson began to announce, "The Drama Department's annual Spring play is set to begin in 6 weeks or for those of you unaware of time that's when your reports are due. The play this year is William Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_. Anyone n the school may audition, but you all are required to since you are in this class. If you aren't chosen you'll be working sets, props or costumes. Auditions start next Monday."

As soon as he was done, the bell rang.

**(***)**

Later that day, the gang gathered in Forman's basement, minus Fez.

"Man, I wish I never registered for Drama," Eric complained.

"Well, I think it's great and who knows this might just be the big break I'm looking for. A talent scout from Hollywood will see me, is captivated by my beauty and talent and whisks me away to star in my every own television show," Jackie says day-dreaming with everyone looking at her.

"Forman, you need to stop complaining and just do, man," Hyde said, ever so serene from his usual chair.

"Yeah, but come on _Romeo and Juliet_, that's been done to death."

"Yeah, but you get to kiss a girl," Kelso said with a goofy grin, "Just make sure it's a hot one and not an ugo."

"I don't make the decision, you moron," and Eric threw a pillow at him.

"So, who you are deciding to go for?" Donna asked.

"Romeo or Tybalt, I'm not sure."

Just then Fez burst in holding a flyer announcing the open auditions for the play.

"Guys, guess what the school is holding auditions for _Romeo and Juliet,_" he said excitedly.

Donna smiled, "So, who are you going for?"

"Ah, Fez would make a fantastic Romeo," he said dramatically.

"This is so you can a girl isn't it?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yep," the rest of the group says.

He than crosses to Jackie, lifts her chin seductively and says, "Who are you beautiful woman?"

"Fez, that's not Shakespeare."

Laughing nervously he responds, "Haha, I know I was just joking."

"Right..." Jackie stresses.

Feeing bad for Fez, Eric gets up, walks the few steps over to him and says, "Fez, this is Shakespeare," he clears his throat, the group turns and looks at Eric, he takes Jackie's hand gently, locks eyes with her and starts, "O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

Shocked by what Eric is doing, but also mesmerized by his delivery, emotion and movement, Jackie responds in similar fashion, "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."

With his eyes still locked on hers, he responds, "Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." And slowly he dips down tilting his head and places a tender, soft kiss on her lips.

A collective gasp is heard, as the remaining four witness the scene before them; Eric kissing Jackie and staying that way until Eric breaks away and returning to his spot, leaving Jackie a bit dazed.

Silence washes over the group. No one saying anything or even making eye contact with each other. It stays that way for a good 10 minutes before Kelso speaks up slowly, "Okay... what was THAT?!"

"Uh, I was showing Fez what Shakespeare was," Eric shrugged.

"Nah, no, you don't do that to show what Shakespeare was, is their something going on between you two?" He points his finger back and forth between the two.

Hyde and Donna agree, "Yeah."

Scoffing Eric says, "Guys come on it was a just a demo."

"One hell of a demo, Forman," Hyde quips.

"Yeah, that kind of chemistry can't be instant," Donna inputs.

Fez quickly excuses himself, "I have to go," and rushes out the door.

"Hey, we haven't heard from the cheerleader," Hyde points out.

They all look at Jackie who still dazed. Donna snaps her fingers, bringing Jackie back, and laughs, "You okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

"So we're all wondering is there something going between you two because what just happen didn't seem spontaneous," Donna asked.

"No, nothing's going on between us. Like Eric said it was just a demo."

"Are you sure?" Hyde prods with a giggle of his own.

"Yes, _Steven,_" Jackie glared at him. "I have to get home for dinner," she announced and left.

Once Jackie left, the gang started a circle until Red called Eric up for dinner.

**(***)**

That night, Eric was sitting on the porch swing in the backyard, it was late and he looking up at the full moon above him, until he heard rustling in the bushes. Instead of cowering he simply waited by looking up at the moon again. The rustling stopped and a figure joined him on the swing.

He turned and was immediately engulfed in a kiss similar to the one he gave. Once the pair broke, Eric put his arms around the small figure. They sat comfortably with her head resting on his shoulders, the until he heard her sigh contently.

"Problem, Jackie?" He whispered softly.

"No, just enjoying this," Jackie whispered back. "We sure gave the guys a show today."

He chuckles, "Yeah, we did or rather _I _ did."

She playfully slaps his chest, "Well, I would've been better prepared if I had known you were going to pull _that_."

"Why? That would've just ruined our fun, I mean did you see there faces?" He chuckles again.

"I know and I thought Michael was going to kill you."

"Yeah well, Romeo doesn't die at the hands of Tybalt, a dumb one at that."

She smiles at him in the moonlight. "Yeah...,"

"So, Jackie well you be my Juliet?"

"Only if you'll be my Romeo."

Suddenly Eric begin to recite, "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear," Eric picks up her hand kissing it and directing it to the moon. "That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops-"

Eyes locked underneath the moonlight, Jackie replies, "O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable."

"What shall I swear by?" He says softly.

"Do not swear at all; Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, which is the god of my idolatry, and I'll believe thee."

"Jackie, I swear, I will love you until the end."

Another engulfing kiss follows, only this time even more passion-laden. He moves his lips around encircling her lower one, trapping it, sucking on it gently. She responds by letting a soft moan leave her throat, urging him on. They both stare into each other's eyes briefly before he deepens the kiss and she closes her eyes to keep them from rolling out or away; his hands fall to her waist and he tightens them around her pulling her in closer. Her arms wrap tautly around his neck and shoulders and she leans in, almost straddling him. He lets her bottom lip go free and she rewards him with access to to her mouth. He enters, his tongue finding hers in an instant as each battles for supremacy inside her mouth, she releases another moan, it is too good to keep in. With the moan, he thinks he has won the battle of the tongues so he releases his grip on her waist and pulls back smirking slightly, until she decides the battle isn't over. She straddles him, throws her long raven curls back, before seeking his lips again. This time he moans, with closed eyes. They continue on, neither giving up or giving in until she decides to end it the only way possible, with a full-on assault of his senses. Seeking his lips once for the third time she quickly deepens their union, hunting for his tongue as quickly as possible. The sudden rush and urgency, coupled with her body heat radiating from her proximity to him has left him helpless. He moans one last time, before finally giving in.

Jackie rolls off of Eric, both breathing heavily trying to recuperate, they have had similar make outs like this, but none were that long, hot or as satisfying.

"Not bad, neighbor boy."

"Speak for yourself, cheerleader."

They smile at each other, staring awhile before she kisses him goodbye and saunters away purposefully emphasizing her walk.

He chuckles at his girlfriend, shakes his head, gathers his thoughts and walks inside.

**(***)**

The following week, the class met in the auditorium for auditions, because they were required to they started first. Open auditions would begin Wednesday. Mr. Wilkinson is sitting at a table with Shelly, Eric's one-time lab partner and the play's producer.

"All couples who are going for the leads line up on the left, for all other roles the right."

Jackie and Eric hold each other's hand as they head to the left. Shelly notices this and shoots Jackie a glare, one which Jackie gladly returns with a 'Ha-I-win' smile.

"Okay, Jackie Burkhart and Eric Forman," Mr. Wilkinson reads from his clipboard, "You're up."

The pair take the stage, hands now separate.

"What scene will you be doing?"

"The first encounter scene," Eric answers.

"Very well proceed."

They simultaneously take a deep breath before turning to each other.

Staring into Jackie's eyes, Eric picks up her hand like the last time and begins, "If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Jackie begins to speak her voice different more melodic, "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

Eric spreads her palm against his encircling, her but never breaking eye contact, "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

They continue to encircle each other as Jackie speaks, "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."

He stops, "O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake," she recites, a definite heat developing between them.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged," he steps in closer as she stands still.

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took," she turns away.

"Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again," he recites as he lifts her chin until she is facing him again. And he steps in, closer and closer until he closes the gap between their lips and after a few beats releases.

"You kiss by the book," she recites.

They both take a small bow as the rest of the class clap and cheer. Mr. Wilkinson among the loudest. Shelly however, sits crossed armed and face turned.

"It will be hard to beat that but we will press on, next," Mr. Wilkinson announces as Eric and Jackie step off.

**(***)**

The following Tuesday, the cast listings were posted by the Drama Department office. The gang head over after school to look; of the six only three auditioned, Eric and Jackie, because they were in Drama and Fez because he wanted to be Romeo; only problem was he couldn't get a partner to be Juliet for the audition.

"So Forman, do you think you made the cut?" Hyde asks as he and gang hang back while Jackie and Fez go look.

"I hope, I really don't want to be working sets, I can't hammer anything." Although in his mind he had no doubt, he and Jackie would be the leads not after their audition.

They then heard Jackie, "OH MY GOD! Eric you're Romeo!" She said excited.

"Really?" He rushes to the board to check and there was his name. "Romeo - Eric Forman."

"Hey and you're Juliet," Eric says to Jackie who strikes a beauty pose and says, "Naturally," he quick walks over to her grabbing her hands and smiling, she smiles back.

Hyde, Donna and Kelso looking on, look at Jackie and Eric as if they were diseased.

"Man, I'm telling you something is going on between them," Kelso angry whispers.

"Hmm-hmm." Donna and Hyde agree, as Fez walks back to them dejected.

"What's the matter, Fez?" Donna asks concerned.

"They put me in Chorus," he shouts.

Still with a look of concern, Donna said, glancing briefly at Eric and Jackie who were still elated by their parts, "You know Fez, in theatre there no small roles."

He thought about it for a second before brushing it off with an, "Ahh, screw it," and walks away.

**(***)**

_Date: May 24, 1976_

Over the next few weeks, Eric and Jackie spent nearly every minute rehearsing, in-school and out although they didn't need to, they knew their lines like they knew their own names. However it allotted them plenty time to make out, all under the guise of rehearsal.

It was Monday the play would open on Friday, and the gang were once again in Forman's basement and once again minus Jackie and Forman, who were upstairs in Eric's bedroom "rehearsing".

"Man, I know there's something going on between them."

"Kelso, will you please drop; it's starting to sound desperate and annoying," Hyde said agitated staring at the TV playing an episode of _Bewitched_.

"Come on Hyde, if they don't know their lines by now they never will."

"Kelso has a point," Donna seconds, "We have to find out?"

"But how?" Kelso asks.

"I think I know," Fez raises his hand.

"How?" Kelso asks again, this time more urgent.

"Just ask Shelly."

"Shelly? Eric's old lab partner?" Donna recalls.

"Yep, she's the play's producer."

"Kelso, she's probably at The Hub, if we hurry we can catch her," Donna turns to Kelso.

He nods and the three head head for the door, "Hyde you coming, man?" Kelso asks.

He really didn't want to because it wasn't his business and he didn't care anymore, but _Bewitched_ was ending, so he got up. "Eh, what the hell."

**(***)**

They all head down to The Hub, Shelly is there studying with a basket of fries.

"Shelly, we have to ask you something," Donna spoke. And Shelly looked up.

"What?"

"Is there anything going on between Eric and Jackie?"

"Do you want the long answer or the short answer?"

Donna looked at the guys, they were ambivalent so she decided. "Long answer."

"My sources tell me that Eric and Jackie have been secretly dating for while now."

"Do you know when specifically?"

"Since New Year's."

"Who are your sources?"

"The cheer squad." Shelly turned back to her textbook.

Donna huddled with the guys, "Wait, if Shelly's right then Eric and Jackie have been together for a long time, why do you think they kept it from us?"

"Because we would tease them endlessly," the Zen master spoke.

"True," Donna agrees, "Okay, I say we ambush them after the play on Friday and force them to tell the truth."

"Agreed," they broke.

**(***)**

Opening night and the Forman's and Pinciotti's along with Kelso and Hyde sit down in the auditorium.

"I can't believe I'm wasting a perfectly good Friday evening to watch Eric perform — a play," Red complained.

"Red, hush, Eric and Jackie have been working really hard, you should support them," Kitty admonished.

"Yeah well, that boy rehearses too much if you ask me," Red grumbles.

The lights soon dim as the spotlight turn on.

"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

from forth the fatal loins of these two foes. A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;

whose misadventured piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parents' strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, and the continuance of their parents' rage, which, but their children's end, nought could remove, is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; the which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend," The Chorus sang.

Over the next two hours, the audience was submitted to heart and heat-felt drama, Jackie was graceful as Juliet, Eric was fearless as Romeo, their intimate scenes were truly out of this world acting; that's what the audience saw, if only knew how much reality went into those words.

After the Prince closed, the auditorium erupted in cheers and applause, when the cast went out for their final bow it got even louder and louder still when the rest of the cast stepped back to allow Eric and Jackie the spotlight.

As parents and and faculty file backstage to congratulate their children, Donna, Hyde and Kelso huddled again, "I think we know the answer now," Donna said.

"Yep," the two agreed.

"So, let's just go congratulate them, no ambush."

Donna began walking with Hyde and Kelso, trailing behind.

They reached Eric and Jackie just in time to hear Red and Kitty.

"Good job, son." It was a genuine compliment from Red.

"Oh you two were incredible, tonight."

"Thanks Mom."

"Thanks Mrs. Forman."

As Red and Kitty walked away the group came up to them.

"Congrats man," Hyde patted Eric's shoulder.

Eric thanked him and smiled.

"Jackie, who knew you could play a 15-year-old girl so well," Donna joked.

Jackie just smiled.

"Yeah, and you got to kiss your girlfriend on-stage," Kelso said laughing.

The two smiles fell.

"What? No... we're not...," Eric stammered.

"Eric, relax we know," Donna reassured him. "...And we're okay with it."

"Well I guess the cat's out of the bag," Eric said looking down at Jackie who was smiling at him.

He leaned down and kissed her, to the disgust of their friends.

When they separated, Donna spoke, "But that," she points between them, "Is still gross."


End file.
